Plumbing fixtures

ABSTRACT

A plumbing fixture, in particular, a kitchen sink is provided with a raised section which houses a variable number of accessories. A removable escutcheon closes the open top. A support member is positioned within the raised section for carrying and supporting the water faucet.

United States Patent lnventor Jack N. Kaiser Louisville, Ky. Appl. No. 847,514 Filed July 18, 1969 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 Assignee American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation New York, N.Y. Continuation of application Ser. No. 538,810. Mar. 30, 1966, now abandoned.

PLUMBING FIXTURES 9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 4/192, 137/359 Int. Cl E03c 1/04 Field of Search 4/191, 192, 195, 187; 137/359 Primary Examiner-Laverne D. Geiger Assistant Examiner-Roert 1. Smith Attorney-Sheldon H. Parker ABSTRACT: A plumbing fixture, in particular, a kitchen sink is provided with a raised section which houses a variable number of accessories. A removable escutcheon closes the open top. A support member is positioned within the raised section for carrying and supporting the water faucet.

- PATENTEUMARZEHQYI v 3571.821

Fig. 5.

INVENTOR Jock N. Kaiser ATTORNEY 1m wkh PLUMMNG rrxronas CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of my earlier copending application, Ser. No. 538,810, filed Mar. 30, 1966 now abandoned. The present invention relates to a novel plumbing fixture and more particularly, to a sink structure capable of receiving a variety of accessories.

Although kitchen sinks have been in use for, hundreds of years, their basic functional designs have not changed substantially. This is despite the fact that sinks at present have many inherent problems. For example, at present, sinks are made with openings for a variety of fittings such as a lotion or soap disposer, water faucets, spray etc. it is necessary to stock sinks with the proper number of openings corresponding to the number of accessories to be used. The need for a factorymade opening for each accessory limits flexibility in the selection of accessories, since cost. factors preclude the manufacture of other than the most popular items. Since it is virtually impossible for a homeowner to add one or more accessory to a sink in his home without actually changing the sink, the homeowner cannot modify the sink to suit changing demands.

Surveys have shown, that while many of the functions to be performed by a sink were agreed upon by most women, other functions were very important to many homeowners, but not desired by others. Not only did their wants and needs vary, but also many were looking for a certain degree of individuality and did not want their kitchens to look just like everyone elses.

The use of a large removable ceramic or metal escutcheon which is replaceable, would appear to offer an alternative to the replacement of an entire sink. However, this does not readily lend itself to commercial application. It is necessary that the removable members meet the consumers aesthetic demands, and among other things, that it does not result in a structure which has dirt-harboring crevices, or cracks throughout which water can readily leak, and that it is structually strong enough to serve the purpose for which it is intended and be economical. The use of a removable member which covers a large opening in the top surface of a sink has not met with commercial success because of a failure to overcome the aforementioned problems.

lit has-now been found, that a solution to the foregoing problems can be achieved through the use of a sink havingan open-topped raised section, in the form of pylon, in combination with a replaceable escutcheon.

In accordance with the present invention, a plumbing fixture, such as a kitchen sink, is provided, having a sump section and a raised section. The sump section has walls, the upper periphery of which form a ledge. The raised section is an integral part of the fixture and includes walls which extend upwardly with respect to the ledge and which form a hollow, open structure. A support member is provided within the raised section, at the base thereof and rigidly secured thereto. The support member is preferably in the form of a flange, and serves as a support for a fitting, such as water faucet.

The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood as the description of the invention proceeds, particularly when taken together with the accompanying drawings where like reference numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several drawings and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view which shows a plumbing fixture of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of a pylon section of a sink and a cooperating fitting;

F116. 3 is a perspective view of a modification of the present invention;

FIGS. 41a, b and c are fragmentary plan views, showing support flanges in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 40.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the sink is provided with a vertically extending section 1%. The section it) is in the form of a truncated pyramid or pylon, and has an open upper end 12. The opening is closed by means of an escutcheon M, which is supported by the upper edges of the pylon 10.

The wall ii, of the pylon it), must extend a considerable distance above the upper peripheral edge of ledge iii, of the bowl portion 76, of the sink, in order to remove the plateau section of the pylon ill, from the region in which water normally splashes, as well as to provide an adequately large region between the escutcheon 14, and the flange 40, at the base of the pylon, to accommodate and conceal the major portion of the fitting 3i), as will be more fully explained hereinafter. it has been found that a height of at least about 2 inches, and preferably from 2.5 to 3 inches yields the best results.

FIG. 3 shows a sink, in which the sidewall II, of the pylon it), is essentially an extension of the sidewall 16, of the bowl 70. The pylon, obviously, can be positioned in any desired manner. Thus, as seen in FIG. l, the pylon it), is set back, slightly with respect to the wall of the adjacent bowl. While FIGS. 1 and 3, for convenience show the pylon positioned adjacent the shallow bowl of a three-bowl and a two-bowl sink, respectively, it is apparent that the pylon can also be used, with a one-bowl sink as well as with two-bowl sinks in which both bowls as equally deep, as well as with any other type sink.

It should also be noted, that while, for convenience, the in vention is herein described in conjunction with kitchen sinks, the pylon concept applies to plumbing fixtures in general, in cluding bathroom lavatories, kitchen sinks and bathtubs, etc. and the like, and the term sink is used in a generic sense.

One basic sink can be made to accommodate a variety of accessories, by merely changing the escutcheon. The escutcheon of FIG. 3 is provided with 3 holes, and thus can accommodate the water faucet 30, as well as any two additional accessories, such as a garbage-disposal switch, a drain popup control, a water spray, or a lotion or soap dispenser. By merely providing an escutcheon with the proper number of holes, the desired number of accessories can be accommodated. To change the number or type of accessories to be used, one merely needs to change the escutcheon.

A problem is encountered in that the escutcheon 14 must be firmly held in place, so as to provide a rigid supporting means for the accessories. For aesthetic reasons, however, it is undesirable to employ a simple expedient such as screws to secure the escutcheon to the sink. In order to have a commercially acceptable article it is necessary to have the escutcheon free from anything which would mar the surface and to this extent, a screw, rivet or the like would not be acceptable. Further complication is encountered in that the escutcheon, from a cost standpoint, must be thin, but from a functional standpoint, must be thick if it is to support accessories. Furthermore, the watei' faucet must be securely enough supported to permit not only normal pressures to be applied to the faucet, but'also, to permit the faucet to accommodate hoses for portable dishwashers, washing machines and the like. The escutcheon, unlike the body of the sink, cannot as a practical matter, provide this standard of support.

As seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the sink is provided with a support member in the fonn of an extension or flanged 40. located within the pylon It), and positioned at the base of the pylon. The extension can take a variety of forms. For example, as seen in FIG. 4a, it can be a support member 410, removably secured to the sink, as for example, by means of screws 49, or inte rally formed with the sink, and provided with a fixture receiving opening 41. FIG. db, shows the extension in the form of a cantilever 42, formed integrally with one side of the pylon, and provided with a fixture receiving opening d3. MG. 40, shows an integrally formed member Ml, which as a fixture receiving slot 45. The faucet 36, is firmly secured to the sink by means of the cooperative clamping action of the shoulder portion 31 of the faucet 3t and a clamping nut 32.

The procedure for mounting the faucet 3t), involves, first securing the base portion of the faucet tothe support member 4-0, as previously noted, and then placing the escutcheon 1 on the top of the pylon 10. The threaded portion 38, of the faucet extends through a properly positioned opening in the escutcheon. The spout 35 and escutcheon 14, are locked in place by means of a locking mechanism 34, which consists of a lower nut 36, and an upper nut 33. The nut 36, has a section 36a, dimensioned so as to slide within a wide nonthreaded cooperating section 33a, of the nut 33. The nut 33 locks the spout 35 in place, by pressing downwardly on the O-Ring 37. The downward motion of the nut 33, is therefore limited by the mating relationship of the mating relationship of the nut 33, base member 38, O-Ring 37 and spout 35.

It is not possible, as a practical matter, to manufacture the fittings and the sinks with such close tolerances that the bottom edge of the nut 33 will 'mate properly with the escutcheon 14. The independent action and cooperation between the nuts 33 and 36 permits the fitting to have a finished appearance and conceals the threads on base 38 over a wide range of dimensions. Thus, a range of heights of pylon 10, as well as a range of lengths of fittings can be accommodated, thereby eliminating the need for maintaining close tolerances in manufacturing the sinks and fittings.

The downward pressure of the nut 36 not only locks the escutcheon in place but can also serve to put the escutcheon under a slight bending force which in effect rigidifies the escutcheon and prevents its being flexed inwardly and outwardly during the handling of the various accessories carried by the escutcheon.

An additional nut, not shown, can be employed to provide further support for the escutcheon 14. Because of the manufacturing costs involved in maintaining close tolerances and because of the desire to maintain free interchangeability between fittings and sinks, the shoulder 38a, of the base 38 cannot be positioned to support the escutcheon. On the contrary, as previously noted, the desire is to provide a long path along which the nut 36 can be moved. The additional nut would be carried by the base 38, and positioned below the escutcheon 14. The escutcheon could then be firmly held between the upwardly pressing additional nut and the downwardly pressing nut.

Although it appears as though the need for the fastening of the fitting 30 to the sink by means of the flange 40, the shoulder portion 31 and the nut 32, could be eliminated by merely locking the escutcheon to the sink, it is again noted that it is commercially impractical to make the escutcheon thick enough to provide adequate structural strength, it is commercially undesirable to provide screws, bolts or the like on the top or front of the escutcheon and the placing of the screws, bolts, etc. elsewhere, is inefficient. Furthermore, the removal of the escutcheon in such an arrangement, would leave the fitting supported only by the water inlet lines, which of course, are not designed for such a function.

The pylon 10, can also be used to carry a console member 60. The console can be rigidly secured to the sink by means of the faucet member, in the same manner as the escutcheon 14 is held in place by faucet 30. The console is a highly functionally, extremely convenient appliance which can include, for example, a storage compartment 62, for soap, brushes, or the like, liquid or powdered soap or detergent dispenser 64, a lotion dispenser 66, water faucet 68, water temperature and flow rate regulator 69, light 70 or an ice crusher, as well as a water spray, switches and timers for a garbage disposal unit or other appliances.

As seen in FIG. I, the console 60, can be positioned in such a manner. in relation to the bowls 72 and 74, that end sections overhang the bowls. The aforementioned soap, detergent and iotion dispensers are most advantageously contained within end compartments so that all spillage .will be confined to a region within a bowl and therefore readily flushed away.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred forms has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

I. A plumbing fixture comprising a sump section formed by a plurality of walls, each having an upper periphery lying in a plane and forming a ledge, an integral raised section extending from said ledge and forming a hollow open structure, support means positioned within said raised section and rigidly secured thereto, said hollow open structural being adapted to receive a plurality of plumbing fittings, and an escutcheon removably supported by the upper edge of said hollow open structure to close said open structure, said escutcheon having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough to accommodate a plurality of plumbing fittings.

2. The fixture of claim 1 wherein said escutcheon is slightly concave, and has downwardly extending peripheral flange edges which overhang the upper edge of said raised section.

3. The fixture of claim 2 wherein said support means is in the form of a flange integrally formed with said fixture.

4. The fixture of claim 2 wherein the front sidewall of said raised section is a substantially straight continuation of a wall of said bowl.

5. The fixture of claim 2 wherein said walls of said raised section terminate in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said ledge, said raised section being substantially truncated.

6. A plumbing fixture comprising:

a. a sump section formed by a plurality of walls, each having an upper periphery lying in a plane-and forming a ledge;

b. a raised section forming an integral part of said fixture and having walls extending approximately perpendicularly with respect to the plane of said ledge, and forming a hollow open structure having its upper open edge lying in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said ledge, said planes being separated by a distance of at least 2 inches; and

0. support means positioned at the base of said raised section and rigidly secured thereto, said hollow open structure being adapted to receive a plumbing fitting in any one of a plurality of positions.

7. The fixture of claim 6 further comprising an escutcheon peripherally supported by said upper edge of said hollow open structure and closing said open structure, and at least one fitting removably and rigidly secured to and carried by said support member.

8. The fixture of claim 6 wherein said support member is a flange integrally formed with said fixture.

9. The fixture of claim 8, whereinsaid flange member includes an elongated fitting receiving slot. 

1. A plumbing fixture comprising a sump section formed by a plurality of walls, each having an upper periphery lying in a plane and forming a ledge, an integral raised section extending from said ledge and forming a hollow open structure, support means positioned within said raised section and rigidly secured thereto, said hollow open structural being adapted to receive a plurality of plumbing fittings, and an escutcheon removably supported by the upper edge of said hollow open structure to close said open structure, said escutcheon having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough to accommodate a plurality of plumbing fittings.
 2. The fixture of claim 1 wherein said escutcheon is slightly concave, and has downwardly extending peripheral flange edges which overhang the upper edge of said raised section.
 3. The fixture of claim 2 wherein said support means is in the form of a flange integrally formed with said fixture.
 4. The fixture of claim 2 wherein the front sidewall of said raised section is a substantially straight continuation of a wall of said bowl.
 5. The fixture of claim 2 wherein said walls of said raised section terminate in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said ledge, said raised section being substantially truncated.
 6. A plumbing fixture comprising: a. a sump section formed by a plurality of walls, each having an upper periphery lying in a plane and forming a ledge; b. a raised section forming an integral part of said fixture and having walls extending approximately perpendicularly with respect to the plane of said ledge, and forming a hollow open structure having its upper open edge lying in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said ledge, said planes being separated by a distance of at least 2 inches; and c. support means positioned at the base of said raised section and rigidly secured thereto, said hollow open structure being adapted to receive a plumbing fitting in any one of a plurality of positions.
 7. The fixture of claim 6 further comprising an escutcheon peripherally supported by said upper edge of said hollow open structure and closing said open structure, and at least one fitting removably and rigidly secured to and carried by said support membeR.
 8. The fixture of claim 6 wherein said support member is a flange integrally formed with said fixture.
 9. The fixture of claim 8, wherein said flange member includes an elongated fitting receiving slot. 